Police co-ordinate drugs raids in burghs

The battle against drugs and those who profit by them intensified on Thursday when Police targeted addresses in Forfar, Kirrie and Arbroath.

Inspector of Community Safety, Hamish Gray, told the Dispatch that in this, the second phase of the operation, so far a man (47), has been charged in connection with heroin and cannabis; and a female (36), has been detained in relation to the supply of heroin.

In addition, a female (43), was detained with a prior warrant, on another matter.

The Forfar raid was at an address in Glenmoy Terrace.

Inspector Gray said that as a result of phase one, four people had been imprisoned and one was on remand.

He emphasised that Police are determined that where drug-dealers are put out of operation by being convicted and imprisoned, no-one new should be allowed to ‘take over the business’, and that was why this series of raids was carried out.

The raids had the authority of Drugs Search Warrants and were conducted in a “co-ordinated manner”. Inspector Gray explained that this meant they all began at exactly the same time.

Whilst the present raids have not found drugs with eye-watering street values, they have been into four-figure sums.

Around 30 officers were involved on Thursday, mostly but not all from the local area.

Inspector Gray said the primary aim of police activity is to detect and disrupt those supplying drugs, and to get the message through to anyone who thought it was acceptable to deal drugs.

He thanked the public for help in collecting intelligence for these raids, and said he welcomes more, which can be done by calling the non-emergency number, 101; or anonymously at Crimestoppers, 0800 555 111.

Inspector Gray ended by saying that there are officers in Angus whose sole duty is to collect information on drug users and dealers, and added: “The dealers haven’t heard the last from us, be assured of that.”